ENDORSEMENTS

For Beyond Buzzwords

“In his work with many large, complex, technology-based business endeavors, Ray Friant has displayed an ability to quickly analyze, quantify, and marshal the resources for success. Beyond Buzzwordsdocuments his broad knowledge, which is perceptive and informative. His treatment of the basic financial parameters of accounting is a case in point: even the lay person can easily understand and use it.”

“Ray Friant is an outstanding Practical Theorist. His lectures based on Beyond Buzzwords gave my MBA students background knowledge as a base and then challenged their minds to consider the future world in which they would work. I served with Ray on a Board of Directors so I know first hand how realistic and valuable his counsel and advise is.”

“Ray’s gift is his ability to understand and clarify both the management and the strategic issues, and to focus others on those issues. In Beyond Buzzwords he shares his remarkable insight to help executives and managers become maximally effective.”

Alan Goldman
M & A Advisor to Privately Owned Companies

“Ray is a focused, tough leader who can rally his management team into a cohesive, effective force to achieve corporate goals. His intelligence and wealth of experience enable him to analyze highly complex financial situations quickly and to provide sound direction to a large organization. Beyond Buzzwords effectively expresses his philosophy.”

Gloria Zemla
Chief Financial Officer

With amazing speed, Ray would analyze and classify technical, manufacturing, personnel and financial problems and opportunities. His strong insistence on focusing on the fundaments paid off…Sales grew and ROI increased from 14% to 25%. I think that any manager will benefit from using the ideas in Beyond Buzzwords.”

Richard W. Spicka
Retired VP Finance
Kuhlman Corp (NYSE)

“Beyond Buzzwords is impressive for its insights and unique approaches to organizational analysis. Steeped with personal experiences that punctuate and drive home his philosophy makes reading the book seem like a private discussion.”

Richard C. Bohnet
GSA, former C&P Telephone Executive

“I’ve had the good fortune to work with Ray on three occasions over a ten-year period. As a business analyst, Ray is unique. He is both a student and a professor. He drives to understand a company, its technology, products, and services, and then emphasizes the plan of action that will unlock its value. In Beyond Buzzwords, Ray explains clearly how others can be similarly successful.”

For Ray Friant

“We have a global company with operations in U. S., Japan and Europe. What Ray achieved as COO was to get people to work together, (to) make sure they took distance from the N.I.H. problems. Ray made the organization aware of finance management, and made the technologists understand that we are in business to make money.”

Arthur del Prado
CEO
ASM International

“Ray came here as COO at one of our very low ebbs. He is both disciplined and tenacious—until the parties understand what the game is, he doesn’t back off. CMI is back to the highest level it’s ever been. In my opinion, Ray was very instrumental in helping us turn in the right direction and we’ve remained that way ever since, which is now seven years.”

Bill Swisher
CEO
CMI Corporation

“I have worked with Ray Friant for more than 27 years. As a Group Vice President at Gulf+Western, Ray’s responsibilities included a wide range of products from large forgings to sophisticated electronics. His ability to interface with local management was always impressive.”